Tim McGraw
by WhoSaysPrettyGirlsCan'tWrite
Summary: "He's not always on my mind, but when he is, it's a bittersweet feeling." Based on the song by Taylor Swift "Tim McGraw". Annabeth is ready for her last real summer before heading off to Stanford in the fall. Nothing can stand in her way now. Except, maybe, the new guy in town... First chapter is prologue AU.
1. Prologue

**Tim McGraw**

**{HEEEEYYYYY. Long time, no see, huh? Yeah. Sorry about that, by the way. Totally my fault for bailing on my stories. But I've started this one and I feel really into it so I know I can finish this one. Plus, there's no deadline (like my PJO Christmas special…). But this originally started as a song fic in my head. I have been listening to Taylor Swift's "Tim McGraw" all summer, and it's crazy. All of a sudden, I wanted to see if there were any stories or song fics with the song and there weren't! Not for Percy Jackson, at least. So I decided, "Hey! Why not be the first!" So I wanted it to be a one-shot, but it would have been reeaaally long. So it's a full out story now. And I really like the idea of it and I love the song, so yeah. Here goes nothing. Hope you enjoy it! Another chapter coming very soon. Love ya!}**

[ Annabeth's P.o.V. ]

Summer loves are tricky.

All couples flourish in the summer – just like trees and flowers. But then, once fall comes, they dwindle away a little. By the middle of winter, your relationship is as good as gone. So, I suppose, in a way, summer loves are better than those that last year-round.

The only thing people dread most about them is the fact that when fall comes peeks around the corner in August, one of the people in the relationship will leave. And they probably won't ever see each other again.

Most couples don't even give the fact a single thought. I certainly didn't. Which is saying a lot for someone as rational as me.

I'm also the kind of girl who doesn't fall for a guy so quickly and easily. I'm also, apparently, the kind of girl who doesn't consider the cons of a summer relationship.

It's strange, really.

He seemed to suck any and all logic out of me – considering he had none, himself. He was probably the exact opposite of who I was. He was adventurous, loud, exciting, troublesome, a bit dim-witted. But he was the absolute world to me.

At least…for the three short months that we were together.

Because, you see, this guy was completely different from any other I'd ever met. And it was incredibly reeling. I miss him quite terribly, now. He's not _always _on my mind, but when he is, it's a bittersweet feeling. Sometimes, I really wish I could see him one more time.

When I last saw him, he was an 18 year-old guy spending the summer in San Francisco, three thousand miles away from his home, with his mom.

His mom.

I never met her.

I had really wanted to, though. He told me all the time about her. How sweet she was, how caring she was. She was apparently caring and loving and probably the most amazing woman in the world. I missed an opportunity to meet _the most amazing woman in the world_.

When we were together, he told me that she knew about us. She knew we were close – maybe just as friends. He showed her a picture of me once. He had taken the picture on his polaroid camera while I wasn't paying attention. He claims it was his favorite. I still never saw her.

I wonder if she's doing okay. I hope she's well. I would never want anything bad to happen to a lady such as her.

I wonder if _he's_ doing okay. Maybe he has a job or a family or…something.

I wouldn't know. But maybe – hopefully – someone else would.

So if you happen to see or hear about Percy Jackson, let me know.

**{I have to admit, I'm pretty disappointed. I thought this would be longer. It was two and a half pages when I wrote it. But then again…I write big… anyways, it's just a prologue. So a real chapter should be up pretty soon and it shall definitely be longer. Thanks for reading it! I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are welcome and greatly appreciated…I sound so official. Still, review! I love you guys!}**

**~Ana**


	2. Memory Box

**{Hey guys! I have the first real chapter here! I saw the story up already and I clicked on it and I was so happy with how it came out. The song has been playing on repeat for maybe…the last three hours or so. Don't judge, it helps with the inspiration and flow. Anyways, here's chapter one! Enjoy!}**

[ 3 Years Earlier ]

"Annabeth," my step-mother's voice called from outside my bedroom door. She walked in before I could reply. "Annabeth, it's been two weeks since school ended and you're still studying and reading like the SAT's are tomorrow! Don't you think you should get outside and maybe even go into town?"

I mentally rolled my eyes. "I like being in my room and reading and studying. Stanford only accepts the best," I said in a flat voice, not bothering to look up.

She huffed and walked over to the double French doors that led to the balcony and opened them, drowning the room in light. "You've already been accepted into Stanford, Annabeth. It's not like they're going to call you and tell you that they've revoked your scholarship!"

I simply ignored her.

She sighed. "Just promise me that you won't waste away the _entire_ summer in here. Get out and do something every once in a while. I know how important school is to you. I just want you to have fun while you can," she finished gently.

"…fine."

She silently left the room and the door clicked shut behind her.

I set down my architectural history book and went to stand on my balcony. This is the closest I've been to "outside" in 2 weeks.

I breathed in the fresh air let thoughts overtake my mind.

I thought about my town.

Pescadero, California is teeny town outside of San Francisco. The city isn't far from here. Maybe 30 minutes or so. And it's quite a beautiful drive. The scenery you see outside your window is breath-taking. You can see the beach and the seagulls. The ocean sparkles on a sunny day and stretches for miles. I've always wanted to see a sunset on the beach, but I never got around to it. I was always busy with school.

The people here are pretty nice. Most of the older men that live here are veterans of the army and such. Almost every kid here is raised to live a nice life. Always help someone in need. Always do what you're told, even when you're _not_ told to. Never be the one to throw the first punch if you get into a fight.

The guys here are all down-to-earth, but can still be very immature. The girls here are as sweet as can be. There's a select few kids who are trouble. The guys in this group are cocky, country boys. They would use a girl to get what they want (if you know what I mean). The girls in this category are the drama queens. The gossip starters. They like showing themselves off and are all boy-crazy. Both genders described will not hesitate to make the first move in a fight.

There wasn't much to do or see in this town. No one passed through or visited, so it was peaceful.

That's what my parents had been aiming for when they moved here. They didn't want a busy city house. It'd be noisy and stressful. So they located here and we've lived here ever since.

I've lived here since I was a little girl and I'm actually ashamed to say that I have yet to see the entire town.

I sighed and looked up at the sky. I knew my mom was up there somewhere. She was probably watching me right now.

I missed her. She died when I was 7. She was sick, but she never told me. She said she didn't want to scare me. She didn't tell anyone but my dad. She wanted everyone to act the same around her and be able to be carefree and not worry. It didn't hurt me as much to think of her now. I don't cry like I did when I was 10. Crying stopped when I was 12.

I felt like I needed to see her again, so I walked back into my bedroom and pulled a wooden box out from under my bed. I kept lots of things in the box. Old memories, mostly. It was like a keepsake to me.

The box was about the size of a sheet of notebook paper and was about three inches deep. It used to be my mom's jewelry box. It had a removable inside that held rings, bracelets, and earrings. I took it out and stored it somewhere since I had no use for it. I wasn't one to wear much jewelry.

The lid of the jewelry box was decorated intricately with silver swirly vines and Hawaiian flowers etched into the wood.

The box held lots of things. I had one of my mother's necklaces, a few medals from academic teams at school, my letter from Stanford, my prom picture, pictures of me and sometimes friends that ranged from the ages of 5 to now. There was also a faded photograph of my mom hold me in her arms when I was a year old.

In the picture, I played with her dark curls and giggled while smiled open-mouthed at me.

The last picture was my favorite. It was just my mom on the beach. The sky was yellow in the background and the breeze blew a curl in her face.

Athena Chase wasn't the most _amazing_ woman – she had her flaws – but I still adored her.

And missed her.

I sighed and put everything back in the box after having it spread all over the hardwood floor. I carefully pushed the box under my bed again and leaned my shoulder against the footboard post.

My mother wouldn't want me wasting away my _last free summer_.

Tomorrow, I was going into town.

**{Well…it was longer :\ but I wish it was just a **_**taaaad**_** bit longer. And more interesting. Not much happened here. Just some background information, I guess. Next chapter we'll get into something. *sly smile* Please review! I love you!}**

**~Ana**


	3. Of Boardwalks and Cookies

**{Hey, y'all! I'm back with a new chapter! Thank you to my reviewers! And I saw that I had 85 views of the story. That's pretty awesome, if you ask me. Anyway, here's the second full chapter of ****Tim McGraw.**** I do not own PJO or the song, "Tim McGraw". Enjoy(:}**

Just a heads up.

If you ever roll into a busy city with an old, muddy Jeep, people _will_ stare at you oddly. It's like a cowboy riding a horse into Times Square. It's unusual.

But my dad got this Jeep a _long_ time ago. He's ridden all over the place in this thing and it hasn't been washed in years. It's sort of a hand-me-down.

I had never really gone into San Francisco to do anything entertaining. The only reason I needed to go into town for was shopping for clothes. Even then, I ordered most stuff online. Therefore, I had no idea where to go or what to do. So, I decided to head to the boardwalk. What boardwalk doesn't have fun things to do? While I was there, I could ask for advice. Like a tourist.

I got lost about 3 times, but I eventually found the boardwalk. My parents had taken me there as a little girl. I pulled into an empty parking space at a bayside seafood restaurant and made my onto the street with all of the other civilians.

Kites flew everywhere. The smell of fried fish and pretzels mixed in with the salty sea air. It was humid with a slight breeze – perfect weather for my denim shorts and t-shirt.

I walked slowly down the boardwalk, observing the area and searching for something to do. Little kids ran around, chasing each other with balloons tied around their wrists while their parents scolded them to behave.

Scenes like that made me smile and think of Matthew and Bobby, my twin half-brothers. They were the most annoying kids you could ever meet and needed all the attention in the world, but I loved them.

I came out of my reverie and checked my phone. It was 1:45 and I had already eaten lunch, but I wanted something sweet. I wandered around the restaurants and shops until I found a small stand where a plump middle-aged lady was selling candy and giant cookies the size of my hand. A huge, chocolate chunk cookie caught my eye and I wanted it. It was the last of its kind, so I was lucky. I walked over to the stand and smiled at the lady. I reached for the cookie, but my hand bumped with someone else's. We were both startled by the sudden contact and I looked up to be met with stunning sea green eyes and raven black hair. The guy looked about my age with a chiseled jaw line and a lopsided grin.

"Uh, sorry. I was just reaching for this cookie," he said as he picked up the cookie from the basket.

"Um, so was I," I replied as I pointed to the giant circle of goodness.

He chuckled. "Well, uh…I saw it first."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, uh," I said mockingly. I plucked the cookie from his hand. "I touched it first."

He laughed and looked at the ground. "Seriously, give me the cookie." He held his hand out and I pulled mine away from him.

"Seriously, I don't want to give you the cookie."

He dropped his hand and said exasperatedly, "Why not?"

"Because I want it!"

"I want it, too! So give it here!"

"No!"

He sighed and threw his hands up. "Fine! You take it!"

I smirked and paid for the cookie. The lady working the stand had been watching us like a tennis match with an amused expression. I was about to walk away when Mr. Cookie Monster said, "You owe me!"

I spun around sharply. "I owe you? I don't even know you!"

He stepped forward and extended his hand with a cheeky smile and said, "Percy Jackson, nice to meet you."

I reluctantly shook his hand. "Annabeth Chase."

"Well, Annabeth, I believe that you owe me now that you know me."

I shook my head disbelievingly. "What you want, a kite? Oh, or maybe a balloon animal!"

He laughed. "No, no. None of that. I'll let you know once I figure it out."

I raised an eyebrow. "And how, exactly, are you going to do that?"

He smirked. "Simple." He whipped a black Sharpie out from his back pocket and caught me off guard by snatching the cookie from my hands. He scribbled a phone number on the cellophane wrapping the cookie was encased in and handed it back to me. "See you later, Annabeth." He did a two-finger salute and walked away.

I was – for the first time, ever – dumbstruck.

The lady at the stand whistled and said, "Honey, that boy is something else."

I looked at her. "I don't even _know_ him."

I walked away with a cookie and a phone number, right then.

I wandered the boardwalk for a couple more hours until I got tired of dodging weird circus clowns and palm readers. I found a bench to sit at and rest as the area got busier.

My stomach grumbled a little and I realized I hadn't eaten since and it was probably 6:00. I remembered the cookie in my purse and searched for it. I eagerly bit into it and chocolate spread over my taste buds. I soon finished it and wiped the crumbs from my hands and lap. I was about to throw away the cellophane wrapper in a nearby trash can when I remembered Percy's name and number on it. I gasped and pulled my hand away from the trash can.

I began to start the trek back to the Jeep, wrapper in hand, when a stronger breeze blew my bangs into my face. I fought with my hair and as I tucked it back behind my ear, another gust blew and the wrapper flew from my hand.

I whipped around and saw it freely floating down the boardwalk. I started chasing after it, bumping into people going the opposite direction until it flew over a concession stand and out of sight.

I sighed and decided it'd be better to let it go.

When I got to the Jeep, I slid into the driver's seat and shut the door. I began to wonder to myself. Why was I so disappointed? What was so special about _Percy's_ phone number, anyway?

_Well, for one, he's cute._

Yes, there's that, but still! There's no denying that he was attractive, but if it had been anyone else, I wouldn't hesitate to tell them to buzz off.

_So what made him so damn important?_

The question stuck as I drove back to Pescadero. Even the radio playing my favorite song couldn't shake me.

I pulled into my driveway and as soon as I stepped through the front door, any and all thoughts of the Percy Jackson kid fled from my mind.

My family stood before me, holding a cake with "Congratulations, Annabeth" written in big cursive letters across the top.

I looked at them questioningly. "Congratulations…on what?"

My dad laughed. "For getting a scholarship to Stanford!"

"We never really acknowledged it, so we figured…why not," my step-mother added in.

"We're just here for the cake," Matthew said. Bobby nodded in agreement.

I smiled. "Then what are we waiting for?"

A dinner and a cake later, we all headed to our respective bedrooms for the night. I got ready for bed and turned out the light. I flopped down on my mattress and rolled over to lie on my back.

I was completely content.

Then I made the mistake of reflecting on the day.

**{And there you have it, folks! Hope it was better. We got to see a little bit of Percy today! I love making them bicker; it seems more like something they would do. So, I hope you liked it! Leave a review for me! Love ya!}**

**~Ana**


	4. This Stupid Jeep

**{Well…I'm a horrible person. But I've been moving in to my new house and I just pulled this baby (my laptop) out of a box that it was hiding in and I'm so super excited because it still works! (I thought I broke it…) Well…I missed you guys and I have a new chapter for you so…enjoy! I don't own PJatO or **_**Tim McGraw**_** by Taylor Swift}**

[Annabeth's P.o.V.]

"Stupid Jeep," I muttered as I kicked the balding tire.

The Jeep had broken down about half-way to town and everything I've tried hasn't fixed it. Or even came close. It wasn't low on gas because I'd just filled it up, the battery was brand new, and whatever was wrong with the old clunker was frustrating me.

I was practically in the middle of nowhere and no one really passed by since this was an old backroad, so hitch-hiking or getting towed was out of the question. My cell phone had no service and it wasn't like I could push the Jeep the last 15 miles to town.

So I slid down the side of the vehicle and banged my head on the door. And I waited. For what? I wasn't sure. But eventually, I dozed off under the sun's heat rays.

* * *

"Hey, Annabeth. Annabeth?"

Someone shook my shoulder gently and my eyelids fluttered open to reveal none other than Percy Jackson. I sat up straight and rubbed the sleep and sweat off of my face. Sure enough, the raven-haired, green-eyed boy came into better focus. He smiled that lopsided grin I'd seen only days ago and asked, "Need some help?"

I resisted the urge to reply with sarcastic answer and nodded instead. He offered a hand which I took gratefully. He hauled me to my feet and I wiped the gravel off the back of my jeans.

Percy walked to the front of the Jeep and said thoughtfully, "Let's see here." He rolled up the sleeves of his blue plaid flannel shirt up to his elbows and lifted the hood, only to be engulfed in smoke.

My eyes widened and I saw Percy cough and swat the smoke away from his face. He eventually closed the hood after the smoke kept spewing. "Well, there's nothing we can do about _that_."

He must have seen my shoulders slump because he added, "But I can give you a ride somewhere."

"But what about the Jeep?"

He shrugged. "Leave it. I don't have the equipment to tow it and it isn't like anyone will take it. I'm guessing not many people come down this road judging by the way you fell asleep."

I shrugged. He had a point. I nodded and looked around for his car. My eyes landed on a rusty, blue 1971 Chevrolet truck. There was mud splattered on the bottom around the tires and a thin layer of dirt and dust coated the truck.

"_That's_ your car?" I pointed to the Chevy.

Percy turned to where my finger pointed and nodded. "Yeah. That's Todd. Why?"

"You should probably wash 'Todd' soon."

He scoffed. "Speak for yourself! Your Jeep could use a good power wash, too!"

My hands found my hips. "Correction: my _dad's _jeep. It's his responsibility to get it cleaned, not mine."

He held his hands up in mock surrender. "Fine. I stand corrected. Just hop in the truck."

I smirked and headed over to "Todd's" passenger side. I had to yank on the handle a few times before it finally swung open and I slid in.

Percy rubbed the back of his neck from the driver's side where the door was open. "Yeah, sorry about that. Todd's pretty old."

"I see that," I said as he got in. I gave him a good-natured smile to show that no offense was intended and he sent one right back to show that none was taken.

He put the truck in drive and pulled back onto the road. We sat in silence for about 2

minutes before I spoke up. "So what are you doing around here?"

He looked at me for a couple of seconds before returning his eyes to the road. "'Around here' as in San Francisco, or 'around here' as in this old road?"

I thought about it. "Both."

Percy smiled. "I'm in San Francisco for the summer with my mom. She decided the vacation would be a graduation gift. It's been nice the week I've been here."

I nodded in approval.

"As for being on the backroad, I could ask _you_ the same question. But I won't. I was heading into town and decided it'd be nicer and faster to take the scenic route."

I scrunched my eyebrows. "You don't stay at a hotel, or something, in San Francisco?"

He shook his head. "No, my mom wanted to get away from noise and business. We've got plenty of it back home. We rented a house for the summer in…Pescadero?"

He finished his sentence in a question and I laughed. "Hey, I live in Pescadero!"

He glanced at me. "Really?"

"Yeah, how come I hadn't seen you sooner if you've been here for a week?"

He shrugged nonchalantly and said, "We were unpacking for a couple of days. Then I headed to the boardwalk where I fought this insanely stubborn girl for a cookie."

I smiled at the memory. "Oh man, people these days."

"I know, right? Hey, speaking of the cookie, you didn't call me. Why's that?"

"Were you anticipating that I did?"

He shook his head as if he could care less. "No. I was just curious to see what you would do."

I chuckled. "Uh-huh. Sure. Have you decided what I 'owe' you yet?" I asked using airquotes around the word "owe".

He glanced towards me with a mischievous twinkle in his sea green eyes. "Patience, Annabeth. I'll let you know when I figured it out."

I rolled my eyes playfully and noticed the city coming into view.

"So, where am I taking you?" Percy asked.

I shrugged. "I don't really know. My plan was to just come into town, drive around and find stuff to do."

He nodded and then a little light bulb lit up in his head. "Hey, why don't you just hang out with me? I'm heading to the aquarium."

Aquarium?

When was the last time I'd been to an aquarium? Had I _ever _been to one? Yes, yes, I remember now. At a school field trip. I accidentally tripped another little girl and she busted her lip. Not the most fun I've ever had. "Alright, then."

He grinned. "Cool."

* * *

At the aquarium, Percy and I signed up for the 1:30 tour. At 1:30 sharp, a petite young woman with light brown hair pulled back in a tight bun and glasses showed up in a navy blue blazer and matching pencil skirt. She held a clipboard tightly in one arm and a huge silver watch sat on her thin wrist.

"Hello, everybody! My name is Amy and I'll be your tour guide today!" Her voice was so overly cheery, I wanted to laugh. "Follow me!"

About half-way through the tour, we were stopped at a tank of angel fish. My eyes became unfocused and I let my mind wander to other meaningless things.

_Is Amy married?_

Nope. No ring.

_Good, I'd feel sorry for her husband._

No kidding.

_Why is she so cheery?_

She must be emotionally disturbed.

_Or mentally._

That, too.

Percy knocked me out of my internal conversation and back into reality by bumping my shoulder. "Hey," he whispered as Amy chattered on and on about angel fish and their eating habits. "Wanna take a detour?"

I nodded. "Definitely."

He grinned and grabbed my hand. "C'mon." He slowly inched us away from the tour group until we were around the corner and in a different room. Percy released my hand and we turned to find that we had snuck into the shark exhibit. He ran a hand through his already tousled locks and said, "That lady was giving me a headache."

I laughed. "Yeah. Usually I'm willing to learn something new, but that was pitiful."

He nodded in agreement. "So, uh, you don't come into the city much, do you?"

I scoffed. "I've barely seen all of Pescadero." I said as I watched a mako shark swim past the glass.

From the corner of my eye, I saw movement and looked over to see a man down on one knee, holding out a black velvet box to pretty woman in a floral sundress. I tapped Percy on the shoulder and whispered, "Proposing with a room full of sharks watching you. How romantic."

He chuckled. "Hey, at least he was creative. You gotta give him that."

I nodded. "C'mon. Let's get out of here so we don't ruin their special moment. Plus, I don't feel like watching them make out afterwards."

We held in snickers as I dragged him out of the room.

* * *

We left the aquarium after hitting the gift shop and buying matching key chains with little blue dolphins dangling off of them. We walked across the street to Ben and Jerry's where Percy picked out a Birthday Cake ice cream cone whereas I decided to stick with Mint Chocolate Chip. We sat down to eat by a window and I said, "Ew. You like Birthday Cake?"

He stopped eating his ice cream cone. "You don't?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's unhealthy. And if I wanted cake, I'd get cake. Not ice cream that tasted like cake."

He rolled his eyes and took a huge over-dramatic lick of his ice cream.

We ended up walking around the city, window shopping and talking about anything and everything under the sun. I found out that he was from New York and had lived there his entire life. "I've always wanted to go to New York," I had said. "It seems like a cool place and different from here."

"It is," Percy replied. "I think you'll like it. You'd probably love the view from the top of the Empire State Building."

"I'll keep that in mind."

We stayed out for another hour and finally decided to head back to Pescadero.

Percy rolled down the windows and began searching the radio for a station to play. As he flipped the button, a snippet of a familiar song caught my attention. "Wait, turn it back!"

Percy backtracked to the station the song was playing on and raised the volume. Tim McGraw's _Please Remember Me _flooded through the truck and I hummed along. "You like this song?" Percy asked.

"Oh, yeah. It's been stuck in my head for a while and it's one of my favorites. Even though it is kind of old."

Percy nodded understandingly. "Nah, I get it. Sometimes the old stuff is better than what comes out now. It has more meaning."

"Exactly."

We rode the rest of the way home like that, with the windows rolled down and the radio on. The wind blew my hair free of its ponytail restraints and blonde curls whipped around my face. But I didn't mind. This was the best I'd felt in a really long time and I was enjoying every second of it.

After giving directions and an address, Percy pulled up to my house as the sun sank lower in the sky. He insisted that I let him walk me to the door because "it's what gentlemen do", apparently.

We stood under the porch light and before I went inside, I turned to Percy and said, "Thanks for everything today. I had a lot of fun. I'll probably go get the Jeep tomorrow and my dad to fix it up."

He smiled. "No problem. You made it fun. We should do it again."

I nodded. "Definitely."

His eyes lingered on mine for a second before he said, "Well, goodnight, Annabeth."

"Goodnight, Percy."

I turned to walk inside, but before I could touch the door knob, Percy said, "Wait!" and grabbed my other hand. "You forgot something." He pressed a lightweight object into my palm before grinning and releasing my hand to walk back down the steps and into his truck.

I stepped inside the house as he drove away before opening my hand. I confusedly uncrumpled the mass and laughed when I picked my jaw up off the floor.

It was the cellophane wrapper.

**{Well, well, well. That was long enough, don't you think? I love the ending. It has to be one of the most clever things I've ever written. I hope you review! I am almost done with the next chapter so stay tuned and stay beautiful! Love ya!}**

** ~Ana**


	5. Boys In Pickup Trucks

**{What's up, what's up, what's uuuuup? Hey guys! I'm back and not **gone** as long as I was last time. So…in this chapter, things get started…if you get my drift ;) Enjoy!}**

"A week? A week is long enough, Annabeth! In fact, it's too long!"

"Okay, Thalia! I get it, I'll call him!"

I was currently on the phone with my long-time best friend, Thalia Grace. After Percy had handed me back the wrapper, I had no idea what to do. So I decided to do what I always do. I waited. For at least a week. After a week was up, I was completely lost. So I called Thalia just like I always do when I'm lost.

"You better, Annabeth. If I find out that you blew off a potential boyfriend for you, I swear to God I will – "

"_Alright,_ Thalia. I get it."

"Just making sure. Love ya, Annie! Bye!"

She hung up before I could complain about her calling me "Annie". I ended the call and looked down at the dialpad, then at the wrapper clutched in my other hand.

_It's now or never._

I quickly punched in the number before I could loose the spark of courage and change my mind. There were three rings and right when I was about to lose my nerve and end the call, someone answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Um, hey, it's Annabeth. This _is_ Percy, right?"

"Oh, hey, Annabeth! Yeah it's me. Did you think it wouldn't be?"

I rolled my eyes, although he couldn't see, and my nerves calmed tremendously. "Just making sure you didn't hook me up with the Rejection Hotline, or something."

He laughed at the other end. "Aw, I wouldn't do that."

"Sure you wouldn't."

"I wouldn't! But hey, do you think you could show me around town since you live here, and all?"

My face flushed from embarrassment and I was so thankful we were talking over the phone. "Well…remember how I said…I've barely seen all of Pescadero?"

"Oh, did you just move here earlier this year?"

I cleared my throat. "Uh, no. I've, uh, lived her for, um, fourteen years…?"

"Oh…that's cool. Well, we can just tour it together on Wednesday, then. Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah. Sounds good."

"Cool!" From the other side, I heard a bit of rustling and clatter. "I'll call you later, Annabeth. My mom needs help."

"Okay, I'll see you, Percy."

"See ya, Annabeth."

I hung up and sat, a bit stunned at the fact that he managed to turn my embarrassing situation into a positive one.

_Oh, you've lived here since you were four and you've never seen the entire three miles of town? That's cool, we'll just see it together!_

Who does that?

* * *

The next couple of days sped bye with messages and phone calls passed between the two of us and soon, it was Wednesday. Thalia was ecstatic to hear that I'd called up "the cutie from New York" as she'd referred to him.

Percy pulled up to house around lunch time so we could start our tour at Larry's Diner. It was one of the only places I'd been to multiple times and it was well known to the community.

"Yeah, I think we passed by the diner a few times, coming in and out of town. I've been wanting to try it." Percy said as we drove down the street.

"It's amazing. You'll love it. Their burgers are and their fries are like heaven on earth."

"Are the fries crispy?"

"Yeah. Like, the perfect crispy."

Percy nodded in approval. "We should definitely check it out."

We pulled up to the diner and walked inside. The smell of cheeseburgers and golden French fries intoxicated me and I couldn't wait to eat. Percy and I grabbed the closest empty booth and began searching the menu. I didn't need to, but I picked it up anyway. After the waitress came around and took our orders, Percy asked me the question I had wished he wouldn't ask. "So…you've really never seen all of town?"

I smiled sheepishly with a mouthful of burger and Percy laughed. "Hang on, you got some mayonnaise…" He reached across the table and wiped some mayonnaise off of the corner of my mouth with his thumb and said, "There."

"Thanks." I said. "I just don't get out of the house very much. I'm more of a bookworm."

He nodded understandingly. "I was pretty much the exact opposite. But my grades were good enough to graduate."

"So I take it you spent most of your time sleeping and throwing paper wads?"

"And cafeteria food!"

I laughed. We seemed to have the same idea because our eyes darted to our basket of fries. I quickly grabbed one while Percy opened his mouth wide enough for me to throw it in. I took my time and aimed as accurately as possible…and missed. The French fry bounced off of his nose and into his lap. He looked at me with an expression that said _Really? _ I grabbed another fry and poised my hand to throw. It hit his chest. We busted up laughing and continued our little game until we were down to one fry. At this point, we didn't really bother trying. So without any effort, I threw the fry and, miraculously, it landed on Percy's tongue. We both gasped and Percy made a touchdown signal with his arms as he chewed the fry with wide eyes. I just laughed until my sides started hurting.

* * *

When we were back in Percy's truck and stuffed with fries and Dr. Pepper, Percy asked "Where to?"

I shrugged. I was just as lost as he was. "Maybe we could just drive around until we find something interesting. There can't be much to see."

So we drove. Turns out, there's a little shopping cent downtown. We spent a majority of our time walking in and out of hippie stores and novelty shops until we came across a t-shirt shop. Percy and I walked in and were met with cotton t-shirts with all kinds of funny sayings on them. We separated and went to different ends of the small shop. I was checking out a t-shirt that had a tractor on it and said "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" when I heard Percy say, "Hey, check this out!"

He held up a navy blue baseball cap that said "BOYS IN PICKUP TRUCKS" in white with a heart next to it. I raised an eyebrow. "I'm buying it for you."

"What? No, I don't want it."

"Well, you're getting it. Keep it as a reminder of me." Percy said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and they landed on a green shirt in the corner that said "She Cranks My Tractor" with a John Deere logo under it. I smiled devilishly and swiped it off the rack. After Percy paid for the hat I marched up to the counter and bought the shirt. I took the bag from the lady at the register and shoved it into Percy's hands as I took the hat from him. "There, we're even."

He looked at me confusedly until we were out of the shop and back on the sidewalk. He peered inside the bag and read the shirt. He just looked at me with a cocked eyebrow and that lopsided grin. "Alright, we're even."

I smiled triumphantly and started heading back to the truck. But before I got even four steps, Percy announced, "But you have to wear the hat when you ride with me and Todd."

I spun back around. "Really?" He stood, looking smug with his arms crossed and nodded his head. I sighed. "Fine. But the next time we go out in public together, you wear the shirt."

The smirk dipped off of his face for a second before returning. "Deal."

I fished the hat out of the bag and looped my ponytail through the hole in the back and fitted it onto my head. It didn't seem so bad. I continued my way back to the truck with Percy in tow, chuckling under his breath.

* * *

We went back to Larry's for dinner, filling our stomachs with grilled cheeses this time, and headed back to my house with the windows rolled down and the radio turned up. To be honest, I didn't remember the last time I had laughed and smiled so much. Had I ever?

We came to a stop in front of the driveway we sat in silence. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't comfortable either. It was the kind of quiet that screamed what we didn't say. Neither of us wanted to depart. I knew my head was saying "Tick-tock, Annabeth. Time to go!" but my heart tried to coax me, saying "No, stay! Why should the night end so soon?"

Luckily, I didn't have time to start an internal debate because Percy smiled at me and climbed out of the driver's side. He jogged around to my side and opened the door, dramatically bowing as he held out a hand and said, "Milady." I chuckled and took his outstretched hand and he helped me out. I curtsied politely as he closed the door behind me and kissed my hand.

I laughed at our childishness and removed my hand from the warmth of his and began walking up the drive to the porch. Percy followed me with his hands stuffed in his jeans' pockets and leaned against one of the wooden pillars supporting the roof. I turned to face him and we just looked at one another, not saying a word or moving a muscle. I noticed how the moonlight bounced off of his raven black hair and his sea green eyes twinkled, the green masking the hints of blue. His skin was tan, even in the rising night. He was so laid back and casual, it seemed that he lived without a single care.

I decided it was getting late and should walk inside before my parents woke up to see that I wasn't in my room. "Well…I had a lot of fun today. It's nice hanging out with you."

Percy pushed himself off the pillar and removed his hands from his pockets to run one through his hair. He nodded, a ghost of a small smile on his lips. "I'm glad we could tour the town together. Maybe next time we could tour the beach."

I nodded, trying to stop the smile that was creeping up, knowing he wanted to see me again. We stood there in silence again, only inches away from each other. My eyes were darting everywhere, but his remained on me. When I looked up at his face, our eyes locked and lingered for a beat too long. The next thing I knew, he was leaning down the same time I leaned up and our lips met.

All rational thoughts melted away, as did my brain and all feeling in my legs. His arms wrapped around my waist to draw me closer and my hands found his neck. His lips were sweet and salty like sweet bread from a local bakery. I didn't want to move or end the moment, but he pulled away leaned his forehead against mine. His breath was a sweet mint from the gum he'd chewed earlier. He looked me in the eyes again and grinned. I couldn't stop the smile from stretching across my face this time; it was contagious. He planted another kiss on my lips, but this one chaste. "I'll call you tomorrow, Annabeth. Goodnight."

He left without another word, just a smile, and drove away. I walked (more like floated) inside and closed the door with a soft click. I tiptoed up the stairs to my bedroom and slid inside, careful not to wake the twins. When the door clicked shut behind me, I slid down it with my fingers pressed to my lips. I couldn't forget the spark that ignited when we connected and I couldn't believe two things:

I'd just experienced the best kiss of my life, and I've barely known him for three weeks.

**{DUN, DUN, DUUUUUN. Nah, just kidding. That, in my opinion, was a good chapter. I had fun writing it(: Stay tuned for the next chapter of… "Tim McGraw"! Love ya!}**


	6. Independence Day

**{Hey guys! I'm back! That…was probably one of the WORST Valentine's Days ever. I was excited the day before…but then I woke up and I was totally not feeling it. Seeing all those couples with all that chocolate and teddy bears…depressing. Anyways, enough about me! Time for some PERCABETH. Enjoy!}**

"Hello?"

"Hey, Annabeth. Listen, I was wondering if you wanted to go out."

"I – I'm kind of busy, Percy. I can't."

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because…I'm working."

"…You're…working?"

"Yes. That's pretty much what I just said."

"Where?"

"At Larry's. Now I gotta go, there's people waiting and there's only two of us."

"Wait! What about tonight? We can go see the fireworks somewhere."

"Alright, sure. That sounds good. I really gotta go."

"Alright, bye."

"Bye, Percy."

I ended the call and slipped my phone back into my apron before returning to table 5 in the corner to take their orders. My dad thought it would be a great idea to get a summer job, seeing as I'd need money for the upcoming school year, and what better place to work than Larry's Diner? Normally, I wouldn't have an issue with this. I'd usually gladly accept considering I had nothing better to do with my time, but now that I have Percy to spend my summer with, it's a little conflicting. My time with Percy was now cut short every Monday – Thursday by an eight hour shift. And unless he wanted to come wake me up to get ready before 9:00 every morning, I wouldn't be seeing him very often.

Luckily, there was no uniform or strict dress code for the diner. As long as you wore pants and a shirt when you were on duty, you could work there. But of course, holidays were an exception. Like today. Everyone was instructed to wear themed clothing. Stripes of red, white, and blue, star spangled t-shirts, those crazy antenna headbands with the sparkly stars on the tops. So that's how I ended up waiting tables wearing strands of red and white beads, a sparkly red headband, and a white ribbon tied around my wrist. Apparently, my navy blue tank top and denim shorts were not festive enough, so the workers on staff improvised and each contributed to my outfit.

I prayed to God that no one I knew walked in and saw me looking so ridiculous in my Fourth of July ensemble. Of course, I jinxed myself. Just then, as I looked up from my notepad, I saw Percy Jackson walk in accompanied by one of my classmates. What was his name? Nico di Angelo, I believe. Nico was normally reserved for the most part, but he had his small group of friends at school, which caused me to be surprised that he was talking to Percy. They seemed to be polar opposites. Nico was dark and mysterious, and a little shy, whereas Percy was humorous and laid back. This comparison caused me to wonder if Thalia and I looked that way to other people. I shook my head and smiled at the thought and headed over to the booth that the two had decided to sit in.

As I came nearer to the table, Percy spotted me and grinned. _Great._ "Hey, guys. What can I get you to drink?" I tried to be as normal as possible and treat them like every other customer in the diner, but it was a little difficult with Percy eyeing my outfit with amusement.

"I'll just have a Coke," Nico said. "Hey, you're Annabeth, right?"

I nodded. So he new me.

"Yeah, I remember you now. You're really smart. Valedictorian of our class, right?"

My cheeks reddened at this. Of course I was proud of this achievement, but I didn't really like to go announcing it wherever I went. "Yeah. Hi, Nico." I turned to Percy to take his drink order (which I already knew was a Dr. Pepper), only to find him smirking at me.

"Valedictorian, huh?"

I rolled my eyes at his antics. "Don't act so smug. You can't even _spell_ 'valedictorian'."

He waved off my comment as if he could care less, but returned his gaze to me with that twinkle in his eyes that I'd come to love. "You know, I think I'll have a Dr. Pepper. And…do you think you could make it blue?"

I stopped jotting down words and stared at Percy. "You want me to make it _blue?_"

He nodded as if it was totally normal. I stared for a moment longer before sighing and shaking my head. "Fine. One Coke and one blue Dr. Pepper coming up."

Unfortunately, no one back in the kitchen knew how to make Dr. Pepper blue, so I swiped some blue food coloring from the kitchen and poured a few drops in the soda. Turns out, I'd outsmarted Percy. He thought he could pull one over on me, thinking there was no such thing as blue soda, but his expression said it all when I placed the cerulean beverage in front of him.

My shift ended at five that afternoon, and as I was hanging up my apron for the day, I felt strong arms wrap around my waist from behind. I turned around in Percy's embrace to return it with my own. "You ready for tonight?"

My eyebrows furrowed. "What's tonight?"

He raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "Did you forget already? It's the Fourth of July! We're gonna go see the fireworks!"

_Duh, Annabeth._ "Right. But isn't the boardwalk going to be crowded?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking. But…I don't know where else to go."

I pondered the thought for a minute before it hit me. "I think I know where we can go."

* * *

We spent about two hours at my house, so I could change out of my ridiculous work clothes and into the only sundress I owned (the only _dress_ I owned) and eat some hamburgers that my dad had grilled.

Now, understand this: I had never mentioned Percy to my parents, and he'd never been inside of my house, so I thought that the introduction would be awkward. But it wasn't at all. Percy acted as if he'd always been a part of the family and my dad didn't say anything embarrassing or "fatherly". Until Percy was out of earshot.

As Percy was having a humorous conversation with Susan about the twins, my father pulled me aside. "So, who is Percy to you?" This could have gone in so many different directions. I could have said "Nobody!" and he would have been suspicious as to why I had invited over a boy that had no social value to me over. I could have said "He's just a friend" and would have had to keep them from getting suspicious about our relationship. I also could have said "My boyfriend?" and he would have pulled Percy aside and given him the "you-hurt-her,-I-kill-you" talk. But I stuck with honesty and decided to give him the best answer I possibly could.

"I'm not exactly sure."

* * *

I literally had no idea why this was so easy.

I didn't know why the high school didn't have any security gates. I didn't know why the little blinking red lights on the security cameras weren't on. I had no idea why there wasn't anyone watching the place. And I really wasn't sure why the door that lead to the roof was unlocked. All I know is I directed Percy to Pescadero High School and found the door with a huge "ROOF ACCESS" sign on it. I turned the knob, not really expecting anything, but when it twisted and sung open, I began to wonder why.

I suppressed the thoughts as I took hold of Percy's warm hand and lead him up the staircase to the rooftop. Once we reached the top, the sun was well over halfway set in the sky and was casting an orange-gold glow over all the plants and flowers on the rooftop. The garden club a few years back had decided to go green and create a rooftop garden complete with real vegetables that the school now used in the lunches.

I hadn't been up in the garden since the last day of school, and now it looked even more spectacular in the sunset. I felt Percy lace his hands together with mine as he came to stand behind me. "Wow," he breathed. "This…this is pretty amazing."

"Isn't it?" I pulled him toward the bench that I'd sat on every Friday since my freshman year. It over looked the town and a wooden awning protected it from the rain. Once I first realized that I wasn't very social, I spent most of my free time on that bench, reading numerous books. I loved the peace and tranquility that came with this place.

We sat down on the bench, hands still intertwined, when I decided to ask the question that had been bothering me since it popped up. "Percy, what are we?"

He turned to look at me, a little bit shocked. "What do you mean?"

I rolled my eyes playfully at him. "I mean, where do we stand, genius."

"Oh." He looked out at the view for a moment before returning his gaze to me. "What do you want to be?"

I paused for a second before responding. I didn't exactly want to tell him that I wanted to be his girlfriend. "Well, I was just wondering because my dad asked me earlier and I couldn't give him a straight answer."

Percy just stared at me with his intense green eyes and eventually smiled. "How about this? Annabeth Chase, will you be my girlfriend?"

I couldn't help but smile back. "I'd love to."

His smile stretched into a grin and my heart fluttered. He leaned in and we met in a sweet kiss that had the same innocence in it as the first one a few days ago. Although this one lasted longer than the last, I was reluctant to pull away. I turned to face the view and leaned into Percy as he draped his arm over my shoulders.

We talked about everything under the sun for the next thirty minutes until the fireworks started. When I was younger, I'd always been up close and seen the firework display from the boardwalk. But watching it from the rooftop garden of the high school with Percy was ten times better. I could see every spark and every color. There wasn't pushing and shoving or the fear of getting lost. I didn't have to bend my neck to look up and walk home with a cramp. We could even see the fireworks from downtown San Francisco.

The show continued well into the night and it wasn't until midnight that I realized we should be heading back. "Wait!" Percy grabbed my hand before I could start walking away. He glanced at the clock on the wooden beam behind me and pulled me down to kiss him. When I pulled away, I searched his face for an explanation. "It's midnight," he whispered.

I chuckled. "It's Independence Day, Percy. Not New Year's Eve."

He shrugged. "If there has to be a special occasion, then Happy July Fifth."

I laughed and pulled him up. "You're such a dork, Percy Jackson."

He grinned the way only he can. "That's why you love me."

Oh, you have no idea.

**{Oh my gosh! Sorry, I had to put mushy gushy love stuff on paper considering I didn't have any on the day of love… I Love you guys…}**


	7. Kisses In the Rain

{Wow guys. It's been awhile, eh? Well, I'm sincerely sorry for that and really hope that this chapter makes up for it! Enjoy!}  
"Percy, I really don't think that we should be here."  
His hand tightened its grip on mine in what was probably supposed to be a reassuring manner (but wasn't) and tugged on it, pulling me forward.  
"It's fine, Annabeth. Nothing's gonna happen. Not as long as I'm here," he said slyly. and by deadlines  
I rolled my eyes, although it was too dark for him to see. "Yeah right. As long as you're here, it's more likely for me to run into a tree or for us to get lost or eaten by a bear!"  
Percy stopped and gasped dramatically. "Why, Beth! I'm hurt that you have such faith in me!"  
"Let's face it, Seaweed Brain. You're not exactly the sharpest tool in the box."  
"Seaweed Brain...that's a new one."  
"Just kind of came to me."  
He laughed, bringing a smile to my face. "You know, you're right. I'm not the sharpest tool in the box. But you wouldn't be here with me right now if you didn't like it."  
His fingers laced between mine and pulled me toward him. My chest bumped his and his free arm wrapped securely around my waist, keeping us in close proximity. I could feel his warm minty breath wash over my face and I could tell he was smiling.  
I tried desperately to calm my breathing and my heart. How could he do this to me? How could he just walk so coolly into my life and invade my every thought and dream? How could he send me into overdrive with just a smile or a touch? How could he change my mind about so many things? I wanted to hate him so badly, but it was just impossible when he was so perfect to me.  
And now, with his lips barely a centimeter away from mine, everything fades away; the crickets and the wind-rustled leaves all sink into silence. Standing in the middle of a dark wood, I couldn't be happier. His hand slides to the middle of my back and up my arm to cup my face. The light suddenly seems to return to the world and I can see him clearly. His bright green eyes lock on mine before his lips make impact.  
I can't help but sigh into the kiss because it all just seems so right. And in that moment, I don't think about how all good things fall apart. Because maybe they don't.  
Sadly, the warmth of his lips is removed from mine and he steps away from me, smiling brightly and keeping his grip on my hand. "C'mon," he says. "Let's go explore."  
We begin moving again and I ask, "Oh, we gave up on Slenderman?"  
"For now, yes. Just because I'd like to roam around with a beautiful girl. And because it's really hard to get you scared about anything."  
I laughed. "Okay. Whatever." We continued wandering around, Percy's phone acting as a flashlight until a low rumble emitted from the sky.  
We both stopped dead in our tracks. You're kidding, I thought.  
"Maybe we should head back," Percy suggested as the first couple of drops came into contact with our skin.  
We quickly retraced our path, hopping over roots and ducking under low branches. We were near the edge of the woods when suddenly, the rain came pouring in buckets, instantly soaking us from head to toe. I thought it only rained like this in movies.  
The street lights from the road nearby aided us with light and Percy shrugged.  
"Well," he yelled over the roar of the rain. "I've always wanted to try this."  
Once again, he pulled me close and crashed his lips onto mine. Instead of sweet and slow like the one earlier, this kiss was fierce and passionate. It took everything in me to it collapse in his arms.  
We eventually pulled away due to lack of oxygen and kept our foreheads touching.  
"Well," I aid breathlessly. "There's one thing I can cross off my bucket list."  
Percy chuckled and planted amother kiss on my lips.  
"C'mon," he said. "Let's go home."  
Needless to say, we both came down with colds the next couple of days.  
My parents were totally baffled as to why I was sick with the cold during the summer. (I'd snuck up to my bedroom that night.)  
Due to a stronger immune system, Percy got over his cold before I did, and came to take care of me when my family was away. He even brought me Disney movies.  
I loved how he could always bring out the best in me. He took away all the stress about school and work. I was no longer "that nerdy girl, Annabeth," when I was around him, but " Percy's girl, Annabeth." And I liked those feelings.  
I liked the thought of Percy.  
I liked the though of loving Percy.  
And for once, as Percy laid next to me in my bed watching The Little Mermaid, love wasn't some mad conception of someone's wild imagination.  
It was real.  
{Well, well, well. That was...kind of short actually. I'm already thinking of ideas for next chapter! Stay tuned! Review!}


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